In the medical profession a surgeon is frequently required to open a blood vessel, such as a vein or artery, for the purpose of removing plaque or for otherwise repairing the blood vessel due to accident or trauma. The traditional techniques associated with rejoining or closing openings in tubular organs such as blood vessels comprise sewing together the severed periphery of the opening with a very fine thread. It is readily acknowledged that such work is extremely difficult due to its intricacies. It is recognized in the prior art that with precision work of this nature, adequate proper support of the blood vessel during closure thereof is essential is effecting a complete rejoining.
Whether the opening in the vessel is oriented longitudinally of the vessel or substantially transversely such as when the vessel is completely severed, the aforementioned proper support of the vessel is still a requisite to accomplishing proper closure.
The following U.S. patents are related to support and/or manipulation of a tubular organ, such as a blood vessel or the like, when an opening therein is attempted to be closed using substantially conventional surgical techniques. Braun, U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,820; Sparks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,524; Ablaza, U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,909; Hardy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,339; and Bergentz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,078.
All of the above-noted patents are directed not only to the problem of providing proper support but also of removing the support from the interior of the vessel or the like tubular organ once the opening therein is closed or at least partially closed. While the structures and methods disclosed in the above set forth patents are assumed to be operative for their intended function, the present invention is directed to the efficient removal of a support assembly wherein sufficient operative space is provided to accomplish manipulation of the suture or the like so that sewing of the periphery of the opening in the preferred manner can be readily accomplished.